Ibrahim Kabba Turay
On Tuesday 16 February, a press release was issued by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation that Sierra Leone has receive an alert suspected case of Ebola from the Pujehun surveillance team at the 14 battalion, Kpanga Chiefdom, Pujehun district and the Rapid Response Team (RRT) has set to investigate the suspected case.
According to the press release, the suspected case of Ebola is a 55 years old military officer attached at the 14 Battalion; Pujehun Division who was admitted at the battalion clinic at the 15 February 2021, the release added that following a two day history of fever, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea and other symptoms of Ebola, the symptoms were active at the suspect even at the time of the investigation.
The press release further stated that the suspect do not has any travel history out of the country, but upon investigation, the suspect had travelled to Freetown on the 1st February up till the 9th February at 14 Coker Street in Wellington in Freetown. Adding that within this period, the suspect attended a fortieth day ceremony of a friend and he returned to Pujehun on the 9th February and he was relatively fine before symptoms started.
“He has a history of peptie Ulcer disease and is binge alcoholic, he stays alone in his block and is presently isolated and receiving treatment and the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) investigation form of the suspect has been filed for the laboratory team to collect the sample for Kenema VHF laboratory and CPHRL in Freetown for more investigations,” the press release stated.
The release concluded that investigation is still ongoing by the surveillance team to make sure that they do not receive another suspected case of Ebola.
It could be recalled that in December 2014, Sierra Leone announced it first confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease, in Kailahun and its neighboring city Kenema were declared to be in a state of emergency. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other affiliated aid agencies provided and concentrated their response teams in the area and it in March 2016.
